By Kevin Fylan
BERLIN, July 3 - Italy will have to do what no
other team has done before and beat Germany in Dortmund on
Tuesday if they are to reach the World Cup final.
Unbeaten Germany were not considered among the favourites
before the tournament but the hosts have gone from strength to
strength, winning four of their five games to set up the
semi-final clash with Italy.
Overcoming Argentina, regarded as the best team in the
tournament, 4-2 on penalties has given Juergen Klinsmann's young
team a sizeable boost.
Germany, who like Italy have won the World Cup three times,
were their usual confident selves in the shootout and would be
comfortable with another draw and more spot kicks.
Italy will feel they have to win in 90 or 120 minutes and
that is something no opponent has managed in 71 years of German
international matches in Dortmund.
In that time, Germany have won 13 of the 14 matches they
have played there, with a 1-1 draw against Wales in 1977 the
only blot on the record.
"The Dortmund crowd is a phenomenon," Germany midfielder Tim
Borowski said this week. "The spectators will be the 12th man
for us."
Klinsmann, who was part of the West Germany team that won
the World Cup for the third time in 1990, has no injury problems
and will be able to field the same team that overcame Argentina.
Miroslav Klose, whose equaliser against Argentina was his
fifth goal at this tournament, suffered a slight calf injury in
the game but has recovered, according to assistant coach Joachim
Loew.
There is a question mark over the participation of
midfielder Torsten Frings after FIFA said on Sunday it was
investigating his role in the fracas that followed the penalty
shootout against Argentina.
Italy are looking to keep up their record of appearing in
the final every 12 years since their 1970 defeat to Brazil.
The last time the Azzurri faced the Germans in a World Cup
was their 1982 final triumph over West Germany.
Marcello Lippi's side, who have had a relatively easy path
to the last four with knockout stage wins over Australia and
Ukraine, beat Germany 4-1 in a friendly in Florence on March 1
but know that gives little clue about Tuesday's task.
"It will be completely different to the 4-1," said Italy
defender Gianluca Zambrotta. "That was a friendly in Italy and
this is the semi-final of the World Cup in Germany.
"They are doing very well, they have got to the semi-finals
and I am sure they will want to go all the way. It is going to
be a tough game for both sides," added the full-back.
Lippi will almost certainly be without central defender
Alessandro Nesta, who is continuing to struggle with a groin
injury.
Marco Materazzi will return from suspension to replace
Andrea Barzaghi alongside captain Fabio Cannavaro in the centre
of a defence which has conceded just one goal in five games in
the tournament.
The final will be against Portugal or France on July 9 in
Berlin.
Probable teams:
Germany (4-4-2):
1-Jens Lehmann; 3-Arne Friedrich, 21-Christoph Metzelder,
17-Per Mertesacker, 16-Philipp Lahm; 19-Bernd Schneider,
8-Torsten Frings, 13-Michael Ballack, 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger
20-Lukas Podolski, 11-Miroslav Klose
Coach: Juergen Klinsmann
Italy (4-3-2-1):
1-Gianluigi Buffon; 19-Gianluca Zambrotta, 23-Marco
Materazzi, 5-Fabio Cannavaro, 3-Fabio Grosso; 20-Simone
Perrotta, 21-Andrea Pirlo, 8-Gennaro Gattuso; 10-Francesco
Totti; 9-Luca Toni, 11-Alberto Gilardino
Coach: Marcello Lippi
Referee: Benito Archundia (Mexico)
Linesmen: Jose Ramirez (Mexico), Hector Vergara (Canada)
(Additional reporting by Simon Evans)